Rotatable display,storage and merchandise distribution cabinet



United States Patent [72] Inventors Fred Howard and Edmund Lee Brandon, New York. New York [2l] Appl. No. 887,931 [22] Filed Dec.24, I969 [45] Patented Nov. 10,1970 [73] Assignee Howard Displays, Inc.

New York, New York [54] ROTATABLE DISPLAY, STORAGE AND MERCHANDISE DISTRIBUTION CABINET 10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl. 108/94,

108/105.108/107,108/114;21I/l29,2l1/13l.

21 1/144 [51] Int. Cl. A47b 57/20 [50] Field oI'Search mil/60.94, 7

95,103.105.107.109,ll4:2l1/70.71 78,129. 7 -l31.l44.l65.|69.l8 4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 256,600 4/1882 Schell...., 4. 108/94 1,990,756 2/1935 Saaf .t 1. 108/107 2,158,085 5/1939 Porter 7 211/144 3,181,706 5/1965 Mandel 211/169X 3,417,873 12/1968 Leptrone Primary Examiner- Bobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Peter A. Aschenb'renner Attorney- Leon M. Strauss ABSTRACT: The invention concerns a rotatable display cabinet on which may be stored a great variety of goods and wares to be used for distribution and sale especially in supermarkets and larger stores. The cabinet possesses great flexibility. stability and sturdiness in design and construction, as the cabinet can be readily adjusted to intended purposes and subdivided by sectional walls. on which are fitted suitably shaped trays to reinforce and prop the walls and to contribute to increased tray carrying capacity due to their particular components, through which the trays are releasably coupled with said walls and anchored or locked thereon at selected heights of and between adjacent walls. The support structure for the cabinet works highly efficiently substantially without friction by means of a combination suspension thrust bearing arrangement, may be moved from location to location by means of casters or rollers and its robust and sturdy operational condition will be always maintained despite possibly rough handling otthe cabinet during use by unskilled persons.

Patented Nv., 10,1970 v 3,538,863

INVENTORS Flu-"0 Ayah/0RD ROTATABLE DISPLAY, STORAGE AND MERCHANDISE DISTRIBUTION CABINET SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 'of ease and is further fitted with a thrust bearing equipped suspension or support arrangement for its operation to turn or rotate the cabinet even if heavily loaded, by a single finger ofa person.

The flexibility of the newly constructed cabinet, due to the particular shape and mutual support of the trays with respect to the sectional walls on which they may be anchored, affords well arranged, orderly and sightly display and distribution of a great variety of products having, if desired, different shapes, dimensions and weight without disturbing the equilibrium of the smoothly operable cabinet or apparatus and its supporting post or suspension arrangement.

It is therefore one of the main objects of the present invention to provide means resulting in a simplified system of erecting and assembling a suspension structure for a cabinet, and facilitating easy and substantially frictionless manipulation and rotation of the latter during use.

It is another object of the invention to provide means conducive to a cabinet supporting structure which is pleasing to the observers eye and is capable of being easily rearranged in various forms, combinations and dimensions to suit a wide variety of uses, the structure employing, if desired, trays of various sizes, which can be coupled in a facile manner with partitioning or sectional walls to change the appearance of the cabinet, to augment the carrying capacity of the trays and to prop said trays and said walls in their secure position on the support structure.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of means which will attract the customer, may carry information about merchandise displayed for sale and will afford less liability of disturbing or shifting stacked products on trays with component parts ofthe cabinet ofthe aforesaid type.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means contributing to a highly improved display cabinet structure which necessitates only a few operational parts, which can be assembled substantially without the use of tools by unskilled labor and ensures rigidity and safety in operation while the cost of manufacturing said cabinet structure is reduced to a minimum.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide means leading to a highly improved rotary cabinet structure whose parts are very compactly arranged, will occupy relatively little space and which can be easily and rapidly operated, the structure being thoroughly reliable and durable under conditions of rigorous use.

Accordingly the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements or parts, all as illustratively set forth in the following description and drawings, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. I is an elevational view of the rotatable and movable display and storage cabinet pursuant to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view ofthe cabinet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view ofthe cabinet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view, partly in perspective, of components of the cabinet including a portion of the suspension tube with one of the holder devices, a portion of a perforated partition wall, and a tray employable in the invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the cabinet post and suspension arrangement together with one of the perforated partition walls shown in elevation, the section being taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the postsuspension arrangement of the cabinet with a section of the perforated partition wall anchored thereon and with two bottom portions of adjacent trays about to be coupled and affixed to said wall, as seen toward the bottoms of said trays;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6, with said bottom portions of said 'two adjacent trays shown in assembled and mutually supporting positions on said partition wall; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7 which illustrates propping and coupling of adjacent trays with the perforated partition wall of the cabinet pursuant to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now more specifically to the drawings there is disclosed in FIGS. 1-3 a rollable and rotatable display and storage cabinet structure 10, the main parts of which are com prised of the central tubular postsuspension arrangement 11, with which are connectable sectional perforated walls 12, I3, 14 and 15, between which extend a plurality of trays or carrier elements 40 at various heights or levels 16 to 19 located in predetermined sections, such as 20, defined by respective adjacent perforated walls, e.g., 12-43; 13-14, etc. The suspen sion-post II is carried by and operatively connected to a roller-equipped cross-shaped undercarriage 21, supported by casters or rollers 22.

The suspension-post arrangement 11 is more clearly disclosed in FIG. 5 and consists of an inner fixed tube 23 and centered thereto outer rotatable support tube 25, which is spaced from the inner tube 23 by means of a plastic spacer ring 24 preferably made from reinforced plasticnylon, Teflon" or the like.

On the top of inner tube 23 is disposed a washer 26 which is centered with respect to the upper of tube 23 by means of a plurality of prongs 27 struck out of the metal material of washer 26. To-the top end of outer tube 25 there is suitably affixed, e.g., by welding at 28a, a larger washer 28 which is pro vided with four elongated slots or like perforations 29 and a plurality of offset or struck out downwardly directed projections 30 reaching into the outer tube 25 for centering purposes. Washers 26 and 28 are further provided with upwardly directed prongs 27a and downwardly directed prongs 300, respectively, which reach into the central opening of a roller thrust bearing 32 located between said washers or plates 26, 28 (which otherwise may be provided with circular grooves for receiving balls of a thrust bearing) for the purpose of floatingly retaining and centering said thrust bearing 32 in operative position, so that outer tube 25 will be effectively and rotatably suspended via said thrust hearing from the stationary inner tube 23 forming a supporting post.

On outer tube 25 there are arranged, as depicted in FIGS. 2, 5 to 7, opposed pairs of holder devices 35 for releasably receiving the partition walls. To this end one longitudinal edge of each of said walls is provided with a plurality of bayonet slots 33, each slot defining a downwardly directed nose 34.

To the outer surface of tube 25 are located in fixed or displaceable position and in opposed relation to each other said holder devices 35 which are each provided with hook-shaped ends 35a, 35b, as more clearly depicted in FIG. 4 which shows in exploded view and somewhat in perspective the manner by which one nose 34 of bayonet slot 33 of wall 14 may be inserted into adjacent hookor U-shaped end 35b of holder device 35 and thus secured thereto as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7. Through these pairs of ends 35a, 35b of opposed and spaced Each partition wall is provided with rows of horizontal slots 36 which are radially directed to the median axis of the suspension arrangement 23, 35, 32 for the purpose of securing in place between adjacent partition walls, say, I3-l4, one or more sectional trays 40, as the case may be. Each tray 40 may be fitted with a suitable metal or plastic molding 41 which extends along the curved front end 42 of each tray and reaches preferably around its corners 43, 44 at 41a. The underface 45 of the tray 40 is substantially flat, but carries at opposite side edges 46, 47 fitting into each section defined by two adjacent partition walls securing or coupling means 48, 49 and 50, respectively.

These securing or connector means may have different shapes and function to achieve the purpose of releasably fixing in position the respective tray between adjacent partition walls, to prop the latter, but also to prevent any ready removal or accidental displacement of the trays or shelves 40 with respect to the slots or openings of the partition walls. The securing means fulfill the further purpose of offering additional support to an adjacent tray located at position 40a in alignment with tray 40 and level with the latter (e.g., as indicated at level 17 of FIG. I).

This effect is also clearly elucidated in FIGS. 6 to 8. In the present embodiment securing or coupling means comprise three different types of elements, namely, finger or strip 48 attached to the tray underfacc 45 near side edge 46, as by rivets 48a or the like and finger or strip 49 affixed to the tray underface attached in the same manner, but at 4% near tray side edge 46 and a predetermined distance from finger 48. It will be also observed that the finger ends 481) and and 49b are shaped, so that a notch 480 is provided in the projecting end 48b whereas projecting end 4% of finger 49 is somewhat rounded at 49c. The opposed side edge 47 of each tray 40 is provided at a predetermined location with a movable or rotatable coupling element 50, which has a handle or grip 51 by means of which arcuate or crescent-shaped finger or arm 52 of element 50 may be swung under friction about pivot 52b in the direction of arrow A so that arm 52 passes successively through two adjacent slots 36 until radial arm portion 52a comes to abut one surface 14b of partition wall, say 14, as seen in FIG. 7. I

In order to locate tray 40 with its side edge 46 carrying fingers 48 and 49, finger 48 is inserted through first opening or slot 36 which is arranged outermost on partition 14 and is then moved in the direction of arrow B so that hook-shaped recess or notch 48c slidably engages said partition 14 whose thickness corresponds approximately to or is somewhat narrower than the opening of notch 480, which embraces partition wall 14 at its surfaces 14a and 14b as seen in FIG. 7. Thereafter tray 40 is swung with its finger 49 for engagement with a distant other slot 36, preferably the innermost slot of partition 14 near bracket or holder 35. As the projecting portions of fingers 48, 49 as well as the projecting arc-shaped finger part 52 of movable element 50 come to extend and lie underneath respective underfaces 45 of adjacent trays 40 located at the same level (say, level 17) with respect to each other (FIG. 8), these trays so arranged are not only stabilized in their positions with respect to their respective partition walls, but are also efficiently and mutually supported, as is well understood.

Reverting now to FIGS. 2 and there is shown the mode of connection of stationary inner tube 23 to the undercarriage 21. To undercarriage 21 is affixed as by welding at 21a a sleeve-shaped member 60 into which reaches lower end 23a of tube 23 in which a screw-threaded nut member 61 is secured. Sleeve member 60 is provided with a cover plate 62 extending over its lower end 63. Through a central opening 64 of cover plate 62 projects a fastening screw bolt 65 for threaded engagement with nut member 61, thus achieving a secure tightening of inner tube or post 23, which possesses near the lower end spurs or abutments 66, preferably struck out of the metal tube material for engagement with the upper end of sleeve member 60. Spacer ring 24 which is located near the lower end of outer tube 25 rests on abutments 66 of inner tube 23, as is quite clear from FIG. 5.

As indicated in FIGS. I and 3 trays 40 may be of different dimensions to arrange them in stepwise fashion (FIG. 3); if desired, these trays may be located at various heights or levels (e.g., levels 18, 18a) with respect to each other or on the same level within respective sectional areas or some of the trays may be removed to afford desirable accommodation of wares of particular size, shape or dimensions.

It is further contemplated according to the invention to connect with the uppermost washer or cover plate 28 a metal rod or stem 67 which carries a poster or price plate 68 (FIGS. 1 and 3) having reference to the various goods displayed (not shown).

The rotary display cabinet pursuant to the invention can be easily operated by a person who can move the cabinet through the aisles of a store or market, can load or unload said cabinet with the greatest of ease, can adjust the same to suit the locations of the trays or shelves of the display cabinet and in dependence on the size and volume of the merchandise to be handled for sale, the cabinet being further capable of being collapsed and disassembled without difficulties for the purpose of being shipped as a relatively compact package.

It is to be noted that the partition wall or walls can be used with or without the employment of shelves or trays by adding suitably shaped hooks anchored in or engaging the perforations of the partition wall or walls and suspending therefrom any desired merchandise for display.

The suspension-post arrangement may be equipped and constructed for supporting partition walls forming one or more sections having identical or being of equal size or the partition walls define varying angles with respect to each other and even fewer than four sections are employable for receiving the same type or other types of trays or shelves, the perforated partition walls not being occupied by shelves or trays, may then be used for other display merchandise placed in the section or sections or same may be suspended from one or more perforations (horizontal or vertical) of the partition walls by the employment of devices especially constructed, so that these devices, e.g., hooks and trays may be engaged by the perforations of the partition walls through insertion or anchorage therein. In other words, instead of sectional partition walls equal in number, as shown, the partition walls can be arranged to form angles therebetween of 60 or only two partition walls forming an angle of 60 or less to each other while the remaining partitions form an angle of or 45 to each other. Instead of substantially triangular trays, shelves or trays of quadrangular configuration can be used (as indicated in the upper right part of FIG. 3 in dotted lines) or ofa parallelogram configuration can be employed, whereby side edges thereof located adjacent the partition walls are equipped with stationary and swingable or movable hardware components of the hereinabove disclosed type or types having operative portions projecting beyond the surfaces of the perforated partition walls for the purpose referred to in the aforesaid explanations.

It is further possible that the connector devices between the shelves or trays and the wall portions defining the perforations of the partitions may be solely displaceable or movable securing or coupling means, which exert a camming action on said wall portions of said perforations to ensure firm and secure seating of the shelves (See FIG. 7), which fit the sections between adjacent partition walls or project outwardly therebeyond. Consequently the shelves or trays with their respective effective side edges placed in contact with respective angularly directed perforated partition walls can be provided with hardware of any configuration and such hardware should preferably extend beyond both surfaces of the respective partition wall, the projecting portions resulting therefrom form then additional mounting or support means for a next succeeding shelf or tray, all as hereinabove pointed out.

It is to be noted that for the above reasons and in order to further regulate the flexibility of the rotatable and movable cabinet, attachment devices 35 may be constructed so that parts thereof telescope with respect to each other, whereby the hook-shaped ends 350 and 35b may assume a closer or larger distance to each other.

All the aforesaid and other modifications of the invention are covered by the latter in its broadest aspects and the invention is not considered to be limited to the specific embodiments herein shown and described. Departures could be had without deviating from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its advantages set forth in the claims.

We claim:

I. The combination, in a rollable display and storage cabinet, of an upright longitudinal and tubular support system having a stationary post and a thrust bearing carried thereon, from which the top end of said support is suspended and about which the latter is rotatable, with at least two adjacent upright partition walls each provided with spaced apart rows of parallel longitudinal slots passing through said partition walls in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said support, interengageable means on said partition walls and said support, respectively, for securing said partition walls in spaced apart relation to the outer surface of said support thereby to form between adjacent partition walls respective sections, trays shaped for placement in a respective section between two adjacent partition walls, each tray being defined by opposed side edges and having an underface, and stationary tray securing means projecting from said underface beyond one of said tray side edges and registering with predetermined longitudinal slots, respectively, of one of said upright partition walls for connection thereto, the opposed side edge of said tray being provided on its underface with displaceable securing means registering upon movement of said displaceable securing means with and reaching through at least one longitudinal slot of said one partition wall, both said stationary and displaceable securing means of adjacent trays forming with respective portions of said securing means extending respectively beyond the surfaces of the one partition wall means for propping a further tray placed at the same level with said one tray in a section defined by said one partition wall and the following next partition wall.

2. The combination, in a rollable display and storage cabinet, of an upright longitudinal and tubular support having a stationary post and a thrust bearing on the top of the latter, said support being suspended from and rotatable about said post, with at least two adjacent upright partition walls each having opposed surfaces and provided with rows of spaced apart longitudinal slots passing through said opposed surfaces in perpendicular direction to the longitudinal axis of said support, interengagcable means, respectively, connected to said partition walls and to the surface of said support for securing said partition walls in spaced apart relation to each other to and lengthwise of said support, thereby to form between said partition walls respective sections, a plurality of trays, each tray being shaped for placement in the section between two adjacent partition walls, each tray being defined by opposed side edges and having an underface, and stationary tray securing means projecting from said underface beyond one of said tray side edges to register with and reach through respective predetermined longitudinal slots of one of said upright partition walls for connection thereto, the opposed side edge of each tray being provided with movable securing means located on its underface and registering upon displacement of said movable securing means with and reaching through one or more longitudinal slots of the one partition wall, both said stationary and movable securing means of said tray forming with their respective portions extending beyond the surfaces of the respective adjacent partition walls propping means for supporting a further tray when the latter is placed in alignment and at the same level with said one tray and between one of said partition walls and the following next partition wall.

3. The combination, in a rollable display and storage cabinet, of a device provided with an upright longitudinal and tubular support including a stationary post carrying thrust bearing on its top end, from which said support is suspended and about which the latter is rotatable, with holder means connected to said support and arranged a predetermined distance from each other along said support, upright partition walls provided with spaced apart longitudinal slots extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said support, means on said partition walls engaging said holder means and securing said partition walls in spaced relation to each other on said support, thereby to form a section between each two adjacent partition walls, trays having each two opposed side edges and shaped for placement thereof between each of two adjacent partition walls of each section, and tray securing means including first connector means and second connector means, respectively, said first connector means being fixed to one side edge of one of said trays and projecting therebeyond for engagement with respective slots of one of said adjacent partition walls, said second connector means being movably arranged with respect to the other edge of said one tray and being engageable with at least one slot of the adjacent other partition wall, thereby to securely position said one tray in the section between two adjacent partition walls.

4. In a cabinet according to claim 3, wherein both said first and second connector means are constructed to provide extension portions beyond the respective surfaces of said adjacent partition walls and to form props for a further tray when placed in alignment and at the same level with said one tray between one of said adjacent partition walls and the next following partition wall.

5. A display and storage cabinet comprising in combination, an upright longitudinal post, a tubular support suspended for rotation about said post and substantially coextensive therewith, upright partition walls carried by said support and provided with spaced apart parallel slots, a plurality of trays shaped for placement in the space between two adjacent partition walls, each tray being defined by side edges, first securing means extending from one of said side edges of one of said trays therebeyond and engageable with predetermined slots of one of said adjacent partition walls for connection thereto, and second securing means located at another side edge of said one tray and for horizontal movement relative to the tray, said second securing means being registrable with at least one slot of the other adjacent partition wall and being firmly engageable with said slot of the latter, thereby to stabilize the position of said one tray in said space and on said two adjacent partition walls, said first securing means being constituted by spaced apart finger-shaped strips, one of said strips being provided with a hook-shaped recess embracing the respective slot wall when positioned on said one partition wall.

6. A cabinet according to claim 5, said second securing means being substantially arc-shaped and of such length as to reach from one slot of said other partition wall into the next adjacent slot of the latter wall, thereby to provide a projecting horizontal portion beyond said latter wall and to maintain said one tray in position and to brace said other partition wall as well as to prop another tray when located on the same level with and adjacent said one tray.

7. A cabinet according to claim 5, said second securing means constituting a horizontally pivotable and substantially arc'shaped member connected to and rotatable substantially parallel to the underface of said one tray and constituting a three-point suspension for fixing said tray in its position between said two adjacent partition walls.

8. A display and like cabinet comprising, in combination, at least two spaced apart upright walls each having substantially parallel rows of slots, one or more trays shaped to extend between said upright walls, coupling means located at the underface of each tray and including two spaced apart securing members located at one side edge of each tray and a pivotable and substantially arc-shaped member attached for horizontal movement near another side edge of the tray and at a level intermediate said spaced apart securing members, said securing members being provided with projecting portions extending into and beyond respective slots of one of said walls in engaged position of said tray with said one wall, said pivotablc member beingmovable through two adjacent slots of the other wall and being wedged therein with an arcuate projecting portion of said pivotable member extending beyond said two adjacent slots of said other wall, whereby said tray is firmly located with its side edges between said spaced apart upright walls, respectively, said projecting portions of both said securing and said pivotable members forming props for engaging further trays when placed at the same level between one of said upright walls and an additional adjacent upright wall, which is equipped with respective substantially parallel rows of slots.

9. In a display and like cabinet comprising an upright longitudinal post, a tubular support member suspended for rotation about said post and substantially coextensive therewith, upright partition walls carried by said support member, said walls having perforations arranged at predetermined distance to each other and in row formations through opposed faces of said wall, and one or more trays or substantially flat supports carried on said walls; a coupling means, said means including a rotatable member having a pivot extending perpendicularly into said flat support near said side edge and affording a substantially horizontal rotation of said member relative to said flat support, said member including a finger which is shaped to project from one face of said wall through two adjacent wall perforations upon rotational movement of said finger and to present between said two perforations at the other face of said wall a projecting finger portion, so that adjacent said flat support a further flat support may be propped on said projecting finger portion when said further support is located substantially level with the first mentioned flat support on an adjacent further perforated wall.

10. A display and like cabinet according to claim 9, wherein said rotatable member is equipped with a handle grip to rotate said member, which is positionable at the underface of said flat support. 

